Which attribute should be checked to ensure a client is suitable for a perm service?

• A. Previous Chemical Services
• B. Hair Color
• C. Eye Color
• D. Nail Length

Answer: (A)

Before a perm, you must review whether the client has had prior chemical services. This is crucial because perms work by breaking and reforming disulfide bonds, and the hair’s history of chemical processing determines how it will react. If the hair has already been chemically treated—whether relaxed, retexturized, color-treated with oxidizers, or previously permed—the structure can be altered in ways that increase the risk of over-processing, uneven curl, or breakage. Knowing this history helps you decide on the safest approach: adjust processing time, choose a gentler formula, or even postpone the perm if needed, and plan strand tests and aftercare accordingly.

Hair color can influence porosity and how products penetrate, so it’s worth noting, but the primary factor for suitability is whether prior chemical treatment occurred. Eye color and nail length don’t affect the chemical process of perming.